CHERRY ROLLING PIN RECIPES

Steps:

• For the pate brisee, place the flour, sugar, salt and butter pieces in owl and crush the butter into the dry ingredients with the tips of your fingers until combined somewhat but with pieces of butter still visible in the mixture. Add the ice water and stir with a fork just until the mixture holds together. Gather it up, pressing it between your hands to flatten it and make it round, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one hour.
• Rub a small amount of flour into a pastry cloth and roll the dough into a very thin circle, about 12 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and gently fit it into the bottom and up the sides of an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough against the sides of the pan to fill in any holes and make it adhere to the metal. Remove any excess overhanging dough by rolling the rolling pin across the top of the pan. Refrigerate the tart shell for one hour.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the cherries, tapioca, sugar and almond extract. Sprinkle the ground almond-sugar mixture in the pastry shell and arrange the cherry mixture on top. Place the tart pan on a cookie sheet and bake in a 400-degree oven for one to one-and-a-quarter hours, until the dough is nicely browned. Unmold and serve with strong coffee.

Steps:

• For the crust: Gradually work the butter and shortening into the flour in a large bowl using a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse meal, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat 1 egg with a fork in a small bowl and add it to the flour mixture. Add the water, sugar, white vinegar and salt. Stir gently to combine. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a ball. Place each in a large resealable plastic bag and flatten to about 1/2 inch thick using a rolling pin. Place the bags of dough in the freezer until you need them. For the filling: Combine the cherries and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until the juices are hot and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for 1 minute. Combine the cornstarch and lemon juice in a small bowl and add it to the cherry mixture. Continue to cook until glossy and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Remove the dough from the freezer and let thaw until slightly softened. Put a rack in the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 375 °. On a floured surface, roll out one round of dough into an 11-inch round, starting at the center and working your way out. Sprinkle some flour over the top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist. If the dough is sticking to the countertop, use a metal spatula to carefully scrape it up and flip it over. Lift the dough into a 9-inch pie pan and gently press it against the edges of the pan. Fill with the cooled cherry filling. Roll out the other round of dough to the same size and place it over the pie. Trim the excess dough around the edges and crimp the top and bottom crusts together to seal them. Cut a few vent holes in the top crust. Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl for the egg wash. Brush on the top crust and sprinkle with sugar. Put the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the crust is browned, about 1 hour 10 minutes. If the crust is browning too quickly, cover with foil and continue baking. Let cool about 2 hours before slicing. Serve with ice cream.